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Tiger Tops DiMarco in Playoff

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods made it exciting on Sunday before he ultimately walked off with his fourth green jacket following a playoff victory over Chris DiMarco at the 69th Masters Tournament.

Jack Nicklaus holds the record for most major victories with 18, and Woods has finally reached the halfway point with nine after a drought that lasted almost three years.

Woods was miles ahead of everybody earlier in his career and owned all four major titles at the same time following his second Masters victory in 2001. He came back the next year with his third title at Augusta and then won the U.S. Open in the summer of 2002 at Bethpage.

Nicklaus won the first two majors of the season in 1972 and was halfway to the single season grand slam when he went to Muirfield for the British Open. Nicklaus finished second to Lee Trevino, however.

Woods had a poor showing at Muirfield and tied for 28th in 2002. He then finished second to Rich Beem at the PGA Championship before going without a major in 2003. Woods then failed to win a major in 2004, but the new World No. 1 is showing signs of his old self so far this year with multiple victories and now his ninth major title.

'I've kind of battled the last couple of years to work hard on my game and make some changes,' said Woods, who won for the 43rd time on the PGA Tour. 'I wasn't winning major championships and I contended a couple times and didn't win. But for the most part, I wasn't in contention on the back nine on every major like I like to be. That's where you want to be. It was nice to get back there again and be in contention with a chance to win coming up the back nine on Sunday. It's a thrill.'

At 29, Woods is younger than Nicklaus was when he won his ninth, the 1971 PGA Championship at PGA National. Nicklaus then won nine more majors, including his last at the 1986 Masters at age 46.

'I think it's pretty neat for me to have an opportunity to have won four before the age of 30,' Woods said. 'No one's done that, so to be able to do something that no one has ever done is pretty neat.'

What's next for Woods this year?

Woods heads back to Pinehurst for the U.S. Open. He tied for third in 1999.

Woods also returns to the Old Course at St. Andrews, the site of his only British Open title and where Nicklaus, who said goodbye at the Masters on Saturday, will be making his last appearance at the oldest championship in the world.

After Further Review: Woods wisely keeping things in perspective

Each week, GolfChannel.com takes a look back at the week in golf. Here's what's weighing on our writers' minds.

On Tiger Woods' career comeback ...

Tiger Woods seems to be the only one keeping his comeback in the proper perspective. Asked after his tie for fifth at Bay Hill whether he could ever have envisioned his game being in this shape heading into Augusta, he replied: “If you would have given me this opportunity in December and January, I would have taken it in a heartbeat.” He’s healthy. He’s been in contention. He’s had two realistic chances to win. There’s no box unchecked as he heads to the Masters, and no one, especially not Woods, could have seen that coming a few months ago. – Ryan Lavner

On Tiger carrying momentum into API, Masters ...

Expect Jordan Spieth to leave Austin with the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play trophy next week.

After all, Spieth is seemingly the only top-ranked player who has yet to lift some hardware in the early part of 2018. Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas have all gotten it done, as have Jason Day, Phil Mickelson and most recently Rory McIlroy.

Throw in the sudden resurgence of Tiger Woods, and with two more weeks until the Masters there seem to be more azalea-laden storylines than ever before.

A Spieth victory in Austin would certainly add fuel to that fire, but even if he comes up short the 2015 champ will certainly be a focus of attention in a few short weeks when the golf world descends upon Magnolia Lane with no shortage of players able to point to a recent victory as proof that they’re in prime position to don a green jacket. – Will Gray

Davies not giving up on win, HOF after close call

PHOENIX – Laura Davies knows the odds are long now, but she won’t let go of that dream of making the LPGA Hall of Fame.

At 54, she was emboldened by her weekend run at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup. She tied for second, five shots behind Inbee Park.

“The more I get up there, I might have a chance of winning again,” Davies said. “I'm not saying I will ever win, but today was close. Maybe one day I can go closer.”

Davies is a World Golf Hall of Famer, but she has been sitting just outside the qualification standard needed to get into the LPGA Hall of Fame for a long time. She needs 27 points, but she has been stuck on 25 since her last victory in 2001. A regular tour title is worth one point, a major championship is worth two points.

Over her career, she has won 20 LPGA titles, four of them major championships. She was the tour’s Rolex Player of the Year in 1996. She probably would have locked up Hall of Fame status if she hadn’t been so loyal to the Ladies European Tour, where she won 45 titles.

Though Davies didn’t win Sunday in Phoenix, there was more than consolation in her run into contention.